Pathinettampadi (18 Holy Steps) Getting a makeover

Pathinettampadi (18 Holy Steps) Getting a makeover...news 8 hours ago..at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.

"Work on covering the 18 holy steps (Pathinettu Padi) leading to the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Ayyappa with 'panchaloha' was started.

People removing the present panchaloha covering of 'pathinettam padi' in Sabarimala

Panchaloha is an alloy consisting of gold, silver, lead, copper and iron. The ritual seeking the permission of the Lord for starting the work, was also held at the temple.

The ritual was held under the tutelage of the chief priest, Tanthri Kantararu Mahesh Mohanaru. The holy steps were washed, decked with lamps and then the 'Kalasa Pooja' and 'Kalasa Abhishekam' were conducted on the steps. The Kalasam (pot) was taken to the sanctum sanctorum in a procession led by Melsanthi Ezhikode Krishnadas Namboodiri.

After conducting Kalasa Abhiekham on the idol of Lord Ayyappa, permission of the deity was sought for covering the steps with panchaloha. The industrialist from Bengaluru, Ashok Kumar and the sculpture Dorai Babu who has been engaged for sculting the protective cover, repeated the oath read out by the devaswom manager Somasekharan Nair before the deity saying that the work would be completed within 41 days. This marks their commitment before the Lord to complete the work within the specified time.

The holy steps are considered to be equally significant and sacrosanct like the sanctum sanctorum itself. The steps constructed in Krishna sila (black granite stone) are centuries old. Pilgrims visiting the temple used to break coconut and light camphor on the steps and this has had caused considerable wear and tear over the years.

The permission for covering the steps with panchaloha was granted by the Travancore Devaswom Board headed by N.Bhaskaran Nair in 1985. The board had also provided adequate gold and silver for the purpose too. The metal cover was screwed into the steps. The sides of the steps were fixed with glass welding. Dismantling it is a difficult task.

The ritual seeking the permission of the Lord was conducted just before closing the temple after concluding the poojas for the Malayalam month of Kanni. Work on dismantling the cover began only early on Tuesday morning after all pilgrims who came for the monthly poojas left the temple premises and hence none of them could be a witness to it.

Work on fixing the new cover would begin only after removing the existing cover. Thiruvabharanam Commissioner P.R. Anitha would supervise the work on removing the cover. After gauging the weight of the metal cover, it would be recorded and moved to the devaswom store. About 4 tonnes of metal has been brought to Sabarimala for carving the new cover.

The work is scheduled to be completed before the temple opens for the poojas scheduled for the Malayalam month of Thulam. On completing the work, the new cover would be installed. Pilgrims will be given access only after the installation of the new cover, which would give a new look to the holy steps.